Chelen Johnson
Many science teachers begin the year with a discussion of the “scientific method.” Our group modeled just that … Starting with a problem, researching background papers, submitting a research proposal, analyzing authentic data, and drawing conclusions models the scientific process in real life.
I assumed that [research] would require a great deal of data analysis, what I didn’t grasp until after this[, my first AAS] meeting was how focused and detailed the analysis would be. The steps in understanding that are gained through the analysis are much smaller than I anticipated they would be for the amount of work that is done.
I would advise the scientists to not be afraid of pushing the teachers and students outside their comfort zone. It’s ok if the teachers and students are struggling- we’ll catch up! Just go – make us work hard. It’s what we signed up for.
